Difference between seasons 1 and 2

Most of the changes were worked into the story lines of the show. I might have missed an episode, but I don't think there was ever an explanation for why Lydia's fiance, Joe the cafe owner, or the blond friend are gone from the second season.

** SPOILERS**

The series started off at Lydia's wedding shower and her mom was pressuring her to have a baby soon. Then Lydia's fiance joined in saying that's what he expected to happen as well.... that Lydia would be a stay at home mom and that the focus of her life from then on should be giving birth to, and raising, their children. Lydia said that wasn't what they had talked about. She wanted to go to college first, get started in a career, then start a family. He said she would be too old to start a family by then, and that pissed her off and she broke off the wedding in front of everyone at the shower.

So the series started off with the entire family upset at her because of that decision. Her parents, because they love Lou and think he's a great guy and agree with him about starting a family being more important than going to college. But slowly each one becomes inspired by how she is taking control of her life and expanding her horizons, and they each start to make changes in their own lives. At one point her father storms out of the toll booth where he worked and quits. He gets into the car with Lydia and says "I'm doing what you did." And her mom has the same kind of moment, where she questions her place in the home and decides she wants more from life than to be the person who makes food and takes care of the house.

Frank can't find a new job, so he starts to help out at Joe's cafe to pass the time. He likes it, and when Dolly realizes how happy he is, she encourages him to buy it. They can't get a loan, so they put up their life savings and house as collateral. Then Joe's cafe burns down, but they buy another place and transform it into an italian restaurant.

Plum studies with Lydia and that's how she met Paulie, and they took up behind Lydia's back. And kind of the same thing with Debi Mazar's character. She met Lydia's psychology professor and they started up, then he was killed in a freak accident while attempting a romantic gesture. During the second season, she is pregnant with his child, and the incident seems to have tempered her anger a bit.